Open Windows

I firmly believe that when God shuts a door, he always opens a window, and in my case, he slammed and nailed that door shut; therefore, for the past couple of months, I have been frantically searching for my window, and at long last I have found it.  It took some patience.  It took a whole lot of prayers and a giant leap of faith, but I found it, a tiny little window, one that is open just enough to allow the fresh, fragrant breeze of possibility to brush by me, to awaken my weary soul, and to infuse my spirit with hope and optimism.

Now, don't go crazy thinking I am finally pregnant because I am NOT!  Trust me, at this point, if I ever have a viable pregnancy again, I will be hiring a plane and writing that announcement in the sky.  That would be BIG, BIG, like God parted the Red Sea, BIG news.  No, this is just BIG news.  Big, unexpected news.

Are you ready for it? 

Well, let's just say that I have a new title I can add to my name.  Up to now, you have all known me as:

Krista Skov-Nielsen

wife

mother

"retired" teacher

homeschooler

blogger

and now:

freelance writer

That's right!  I've got a writing gig for the new website  www.familyshare.com.  How exciting is that!  Very exciting, thank you very much.

Now, to back peddle a bit.  Remember, I said it is a tiny window and it is open just a crack.

At the end of November, a dear friend of mine sent me a job posting for this website, who was looking for freelance writers.  I hummed and hawed about it.  I really didn't think I had what it takes to do the job, and I definitely wasn't sure if I wanted to take something else on in my life right now.  But, at the very last minute (literally a couple of hours before the deadline), I made the leap and I whipped up a sample article for them, redid my resume, and sent it off.  

Then nothing.

Two weeks passed and nothing.

Four weeks passed and nothing.

So, I chalked it up to yet another 2012 failure, swept it under the rug with the rest of them, stomped up and down on it, ground my dirty boots all over it, and walked away.  

Then, last night, as I was curled up in my favourite reading chair, reflecting on what a good day it had been, I noticed an email titled:  "Re:  Application for Freelance Writing Position with FamilyHow.com".  I opened it up fully expecting them to brush me off, but much to my surprise, they were offering me a position.  WHAT!

Now for a little clarification.  I did NOT in fact get one of their full-time, paid positions, but what they offered me was a chance to become one of these writers.  I was offered "a position without compensation", and if they and the readers like my work, then I get "promoted".  After my initial shock and excitement passed, my pride started to kick up a fuss: Who do they think they are?  They want ME to write for them for FREE!  I don't think so.  Thankfully, the tiny and almost always suppressed level-headed side of me spoke up: Ummmmm . . . you are a stay-at-home mom, who writes a silly little blog and has no writing experience outside of that.  Everything you do is for no compensation.  Yes, you are going to take this position.

And so I did.  I will learn more details later today, but I am very excited.  Every writer has to start somewhere, and this could very well be my beginning, the beginning of a grand, new adventure . . . . eeeeeeeeek!  The only thing I love more than grand ideas is a grand adventure.  Nice move, 2013.  You've got my attention; now dazzle me!

The view from my window, pretty and full of promise.